Hello Dell,

Let me start out by saying that I have no experience with the Patriot tensioner replacement yet. Maybe someone else will chime in.

The Gates and Rock Auto sites show no separate tensioner pulley available, nor does the factory service manual. However, the Dayco site does list a tensioner pulley (exact same part as upper idler). http://www.daycoproducts.com/parts?...arts?category_id=1084&year=2008&make=20&modeltype=4&model=1706&description=1484

I'm leary that the Dayco catalog is incorrect since nobody else seems to list the pulley separately, but who knows?

Having said the above, I think most people replace the entire assembly (that's what I do). If you just replace the tensioner pulley, chances are it won't be too long before the tensioner spring weakens anyway. Also be aware that our Patriot alternators have a decoupler pulley (AOD) that can go bad.

I found no info regarding your reverse thread question. There are lots of Google hits for replacing the entire assembly.

Best of luck. Nowadays, the biggest problem is that aftermarket parts quality is very questionable. You cannot rely on brand names anymore....Gates, Moog, etc..

 

Hi.

GENERALLY speaking, if the pulley turns clockwise while the engine is running, the bolt will be RH thread. The idea being that the bolt won't tend to loosen while the pulley spins.
......In other words, to loosen, turn the bolt in the OPPOSITE direction of normal pulley rotation.